All for a pair of shoes

The trial of Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at US President George Bush, will start on December 31, reports newswire AFP. The journalist has been accused of “aggression against a foreign head of state during an official visit,” an offence that carries a prison term of between five and 15 years under Iraqi law.

The shoes and their owner have become global celebrities; one person offered $10 million for the shoes, and another offered his daughter to the journalist. According to the Guardian, a Turkish shoe-maker, who claimed that his company made the shoes, has now employed 100 extra staff to cope with the flood of orders he is receiving.

Do you think the verdict in this case will make a difference to your New Year?